About
Fabrizio Contarino (Italy, 1976) is a visual artist and researcher based in Barcelona.
His practice combines documentary and speculative approaches to reflect on the relationship between image and space, gaze and scene, and on how visual devices shape perception and relations of power. Through long-term investigations across the central Mediterranean, his work approaches landscape as a site of negotiation between control and drift, border and passage. By layering photographic, sonic, and material strategies —including analog photography, ceramics, video, printmaking, and drawing— he develops fragmented narratives that examine perception, the materiality of the image, and spatial transformation.
His current research, Landscapes of Control, explores the cement infrastructures of the Mediterranean as devices of power and permanence. The project received La Escocesa’s Artistic Research Grant (2025) and has been presented at SCAN Tarragona, LOOP Festival, Casa Elizalde, MIA Photo Fair (Milan), and the Vulcanological Museum of Pantelleria. In 2024, he was awarded the Temporals Program by Barcelona Cultura with the project The Opposite Sea.
He has exhibited in Europe, Asia, and Latin America, and has taken part in curatorial and research programs at MACBA, the University of Barcelona, and the Centre d’Art Santa Mònica. He has been artist-in-residence at Mouhit Space (Tunis), Belgrade AIR (Serbia), and EART (Barcelona).
He holds a Master’s degree in Artistic Production and Research (University of Barcelona) and completed advanced studies in Creative Documentary at the Barcelona Film Observatory. He combines his artistic practice with the artistic direction of Espai Souvenir, a collaborative space for contemporary art in Barcelona, and is a member of La Escocesa, a creative factory in Barcelona.
Solo Exhibitions
[2025] Líneas de Fuga – Espai Souvenir – Barcelona
[2025] Meddle – Museo Vulcanologico, Pantelleria, It
[2024] Loop city screen – R.A.R.O on site project – Barcelona
[2024] Temporals 24 – CC Navas, Barcelona cultura – Barcelona – Es
[2024] Temporals 24 – Farinera del Clot, Barcelona cultura – Barcelona – Es
[2024] Temporals 24 – Casa Elizalde, Barcelona cultura – Barcelona – Es
[2022] 60 seconds party, Center424, Belgrade – Sr
[2021] The other side, public installation, Catania – It
[2021] The opposite sea, Vilnius Graphic Center, Vilnius – Lt
[2020] La calle adentro, Monumental Callo, Lima – Pe
[2019] Swab Art Fair, On Paper, Barcelona – Es
[2018] Tropical party, with Alina Melnikova, Barrack, Naha – Jp
[2017] Ping pong with Diego Mallo, Espai Souvenir, Barcelona – Es
[2017] Entre aguas y muros, Casa Cultural Rat Trap, Bogotá – Co
[2016] Out of data, El Diluvio Universal, Barcelona – Es
[2015] Le grand Tour, Espai la Maga, Barcelona – Es
[2013] Collateral events, Gabinete de Dibujos, València – Es
[2012] Collateral events, La sala, Zaragoza – Es
Residencies
[Ongoing] La Escocesa, member, Barcelona – Es
[Ongoing] Espai Souvenir, Barcelona – Es
[2023] Mouhit space, Tunis – Tn
[2022] Belgrade artist in residence, Belgrade – Sr
[2021] Graphic art center, Vilnius – Lt
[2020] Monumental Callao, Lima – Pe
[2019] Ela Espaço de arte, Luanda – Ao
[2017] Rat trap, Bogotá – Co
[2013-15] Eart, Barcelona – Es
Studies
[2020] On Mediation, Curatorial program, Univ. UB, Barcelona – Es
[2010] M.A Artistic production and research, Univ. UB, Barcelona – Es
[2006] Creative documentary course, Observatorio de Cine, Bcn – Es
[2000] BA Communication & advertising techniques, Perugia Univ – It
Workshop & Seminars
Seminars at MACBA Independent Studies Program (PEI) with Marcelo Expósito and Franco Berardi Bifo and with Andrea Soto Calderón at La Virreina, Barcelona
Workshops with Raimon Chaves – Musac, Leon – Es, Thomas Bayrle – MACBA, Barcelona – Es
Participation in curatorial programs On Mediation and Creating Situations at Centre d’Art Santa Mònica
Collections
Works held in public and private collections, including the Universitat de Barcelona (Spain) and the Vilnius Graphic Art Centre – VGAC (Lithuania).
Selected Group Exhibitions
[2025] – [Upcoming] Talent Latent, Scan Tarrogona
[2024] Mia Photo Fair, Gaze off, Milan – It
[2024] Porus, Studio Weil, curated by Aina Pomar, Mallorca – Es
[2023] Religaré, La Escocesa, Barcelona – Es
[2019] Premi ArtsFAD, Museo del Disseny, Barcelona – Es
[2019] No Borders, Miscelanea, Barcelona – Es
[2018] El Azar with Diego Sierralta, Espai Souvenir, Barcelona – Es
[2018] Festival Kronos, Arts Santa Mònica, Barcelona – Es
[2017] Cyclic Journey, The Goethe institute, Barcelona – Es
[2017] El Voyeur Invitado, Arteria, Barcelona – Es
[2017] Cartes postales, La Place art space, Barcelona- Es, Lille – Fr
[2016] Accrochage, Ana Yael gallery, Barcelona – Es
[2015] Impossible festival, Eart, Barcelona – Es
[2015] Mutualismes #4 – Sintonies, Eart, Barcelona – Es
[2015] Sintesi, Arts Santa Mònica, Barcelona – Es
[2013] Unexpected time, El Diluvio Universal, Barcelona – Es
[2012] Pure language, Madame La Marquise, Barcelona – Es
2012] Arts libris, Arts Santa Mònica, Barcelona – Es
[2011] Hacer un dibujando, Domicilio Conocido, Mexico City – Mx
[2011] DF 12 Notas, Foto Septiembre Art fair, Mexico City – Mx
[2011] Fent Safareig, MIAU, Roca Umbert, Granollers – Es
[2010] La Conga, KODRA Action Field Festival, Thessaloniki – Gr
[2010] Fent Safareig, MIAU, Caldes de Montbui – Es
[2009] Ocho, Rojo Gallery, Barcelona – Es
[2008] Building the key, Carpetas Abiertas, Can Xalant, Barcelona – Es
[2008] Building the key, My blogroll, Uruguai / online
[2007] BAC Babylon, CCCB, Barcelona – Es
[2007 ] Btk, Red (permanent) Tapes, Festival Loop, Barcelona – Es
[2006] Rojo smart, Invaliden 1 Gallery, Berlin – De
[2005] Design made, Hangaram Design Museum, Seoul – Kr
[2003] Cosmos, XI Bjcem, Athens – Gr
[2024]
· (in-)sight, (in-)place – Robert Bergmann & Maximilian Seegert, Espai Souvenir , Bcn – Es
· Why advocate for the vitality of matter? Ana Lucia Garcia Hoefken, Espai Souvenir , Bcn – Es
· Nothing new under the sun, Max Hart Barnwell Espai Souvenir , Bcn – Es
[2023]
· Limit of Disappearence, Bruno Jose Silva, Espai Souvenir , Bcn – Es
· Mediando la ausencia, Teresa Mulet, Espai Souvenir , Bcn – Es
[2022]
· El inicio, su principio, Agustín Ortiz Herrera, Espai Souvenir , Bcn – Es
· Alsino Skowronnek, Unfinished business, Espai Souvenir , Bcn – Es
· Escuela del fosfeno, Martin Kaulen, Espai Souvenir , Bcn – Es
[2021]
· Estudio, Diego Mallo, Espai Souvenir , Barcelona – Es
· Manifiesto y ruina, Felipe Garcia Salazar, Espai Souvenir, Bcn
[2020]
· Malas Hierbas, Jessica Moroni with the curatorial text by Angelica Tognetti Espai Souvenir, Barcelona
[2019]
· Oradores, Miquel Garcia with curatorial text by Victoria Reuss, Espai Souvenir, Barcelona
· Despersonalizar la colección, Julia Salgueiro, Espai Souvenir, Bcn
[2018]
· Sistema de escape, Paola acebedo, Espai Souvenir, Bcn
· Night Simphony, Penelope Thomaidi, Espai Souvenir, Bcn
[2017]
· Daichi Sato, T. Otsuka, Metamorphosing reality, Espai Souvenir, Bcn
Souvenir art space direction program since 2021
